The Addams Family (TV Series) The New Neighbors Meet the Addams Family (1964) User Reviews

The Addams Family: The New Neighbors Meet the Addams Family

[Scarecrow-88 · 7/10 · 16 January 2017]

When newlyweds (Cynthia Pepper and Peter Brooks) lease an apartment next door to the Addams Family, they weren't aware of their "peculiarities", becoming increasingly mortified and anxious with each "meet and greet", trying in every way to get out of it so they can move out as fast as possible. This episode's greatest appeal is how "normal folks" respond to the eccentric oddball family (a staple of the show, to boot) when experiencing their way of life inside the Addams mansion. Pepper and Brooks offer some frightened/nervous reactions, warranted by strange "house décor" (two headed turtle, swordfish with a human leg sticking out of its mouth, bear rug that growls at them!!!), while Morticia and Gomez remain unaware/oblivious of their fear and desire to get away from them. There's a game of Bridge (which Thing participates in, "assisting" Pepper who isn't prepared for that box to pop open and disembodied hand to pull from her cards to help her!), one of Morticia's plants "chokes", Uncle Fester is playing with dynamite caps and firing off his buffalo gun (!), Grandmama sharpens her hatchet on the wheel (!), Gomez gets all hot and bothered by Morticia's frog ribbit (!), and Uncle Fester shows up through a trap door in the apartment of the newlyweds with Pepper so unnerved she clunks him on the head with a skillet! Carolyn Jones is just so foxy as Morticia, with her soft-voiced punchlines (my favorite being her quip following Gomez believing their house was supposed to be haunted when first moving in and Morticia disappointed it wasn't) and delivery opposite Gomez making for some of the episode's most grin-worthy moments. I think it is all in how perfectly normal their bizarre home life is to them, and how "outsiders" are ill-prepared for the surprises that they encounter when meeting the Addams is all part of the show's enduring charm and appeal. Gomez and Morticia's sexual chemistry and the family of weirdos that live with them gave the show unexpected and unpredictable results, often scene to scene. The newlyweds bombarded with "octopus bath" and "Uncle Fester's gun misfiring", Lurch appearing at their door with an invitation and the hand in the box getting involved in their card game with the Addams embodies the Gothic comic riches so virulent in the memorable series. Morticia just certain it was "newlywed jitters" instead of their lifestyle giving the neighbors the heebie-jeebies is the perfect example of how incognizant the Addams are…the show is all the better for it, too!